CAIRO (AFP) - The trial of Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood chief Mohamed Badie and two deputies on charges of inciting the murder of protesters was adjourned minutes after it opened on Sunday because the defendants were absent.

The court adjourned the trial of the Brotherhood leaders and 32 other Islamist defendants to October 29, requesting that the interior ministry bring the defendants to court.

They had not appeared in court on Sunday for security reasons, security officials said.

The hearing was the first in the proceedings against the top Brotherhood leaders, who were detained in a sweep against Islamists after the July 3 ouster of president Mohamed Mursi.

They are accused of involvement in the deaths of protesters who stormed and torched the Brotherhood's headquarters on June 30, as millions took to the streets demanding Mursi's resignation.

Mursi had led the Brotherhood's political arm the Freedom and Justice Party up to his election in June 2012.